Student equity groups
Defining equity groups
Equity groups is the terminology applied collectively to groups of students who have not traditionally opted for higher education. Often the preparation for higher education has been different for equity groups students compared with traditional students.
DEEWR designated student equity groups
People from low socio-economic status backgrounds (low SES)
Higher education students from low socio-economic status backgrounds (low SES) whose permanent home-address postcodes are within the lowest 25% of postcodes in Australia. Measured according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA). Currently information in the SEIFA is informed by the 2006 census data.
People from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB)
Non-English speaking backgrounds students who arrived in Australia within the previous ten years, and speak a language other than English at home.
People with disabilities
Higher Education students with disabilities who answered 'yes' on student enrolment forms to the question 'Do you have a disability, impairment or long term medical condition which may affect your studies?' It is important to note that there may in fact be more students with a disability at La Trobe University than are indicated by this measure. There are students who do not wish to identify because of the negative stigma associated with disability.
People from regional and remote areas
Higher education students from regional and remote areas are defined according to the McEETYA (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs) Postcode Concordance file. Currently information in this file is informed by the 2006 census data.
Gender inequality
DEEWR requires universities to monitor and report on fields of education where there appears to be a gender inequality or imbalance. In previous years women in the non-traditional fields of information technology, and engineering, and women in higher degrees, have been monitored at La Trobe. Women in higher degrees have now surpassed 50% of enrolments and are no longer monitored. Since 2007 this category has also included males enrolled in Health Sciences. All areas of study will continue to be monitored for gender inequality by the Equality and Diversity Centre and any other fields of education where enrolments for one gender fall below 25% will be reported in future years.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Those who answered 'yes' to the question 'Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander' on enrolment forms. Note that at La Trobe University this area is monitored separately by the Director of Indigenous Education, and is thus not included in this profile.
Funding for student equity initiatives
The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) provides funding for programs to improve the access, participation, retention and success rates of students in six equity groups. Students in these groups have been shown to experience significant disadvantage in higher education. Faculties and administrative units can apply annually for funding under the Higher Education Equity Support Program grant scheme administered by the Equality and Diversity Centre.